Ian Mackendrick Hendry (13 January 1931 – 24 December 1984) was an English film, television and stage actor. He was best known for his work on several British TV series of the 1960s and 1970s, including the lead in the first series of The Avengers and The Lotus Eaters, as well as for his roles in films such as The Hill (1965), Repulsion (1965), Get Carter (1971), and Theatre of Blood (1973).

Hendry was born in Ipswich, Suffolk on 13 January 1931. His father, James Hendry, was born in 1901 in Glasgow. James Hendry earned a degree in Chemistry from Glasgow University before moving to Ipswich in 1924 to take up a graduate position with R & W Paul Ltd. (now BOCM Pauls Ltd). Ian's mother, Enid (née Rushton), was born in Durham in 1906. Her father, George Rushton, was an artist and Head of the Ipswich Art School from 1906-29.[1]

Ian's younger brother, Donald, was born on 15 August 1933. Both Ian and his brother were educated at the Ipswich School and Culford School, Suffolk. At Culford School, Ian Hendry had a keen interest in sports, particularly boxing, cricket, running and rugby. He was also involved in amateur dramatics at Culford, helping to produce and perform in several school plays.[citation needed]

On leaving school in 1947, aged 16, Hendry initially embarked on a very different career, studying at the College of Estate Management in London. In 1948, he spent a year working for Bidwells at their Cambridge office. In 1949, Hendry began his National Service as part of the compulsory conscription in the United Kingdom, which was introduced after the end of World War II in 1945. He spent two years with the 32nd Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery. During this time, Hendry paced for Christopher Chataway in athletics and ran his own motorcycle stunt team. On completion of his service he returned to work in Estate Management.[citation needed]

From 1951-53, Hendry returned to work for Bidwells, but this time he was based in their Edgware office in London. During this period, Hendry re-established his interest in acting, becoming involved in Amateur theatre through a local amateur dramatics group in Edgware.[citation needed]

His professional acting career began in 1955, working in repertory at the Hornchurch Theatre in Station Lane. He was also seen in Goldoni's Servant of Two Masters at the Edinburgh Festival. In 1957, Hendry spent another season in repertory, performing in several plays at the Oxford Playhouse, Oxford. In December 1957, Dinner With The Family transferred to the West End, playing at the New Theatre, London.[3]

The series only ran for 12 episodes but Hendry was next cast in the very similar role of Dr David Keel in a new action-adventure series entitled The Avengers. Initially, Hendry was the star of this series, which co-starred Patrick Macnee as John Steed. However, production of the first season was curtailed by a strike and Hendry used the opportunity to depart the series and begin a film career. (The Avengers continued for the rest of the decade with Macnee as its star.)[6]

Hendry's first marriage was to Phyllis J. Bell in September 1955, a make-up artist who worked for Leichner, whom he first met when he began work in repertory theatre. The marriage ended in 1962. He married actress Janet Munro on 16 February 1963. They had two daughters, Sally and Corrie, but their turbulent life together ended in divorce in 1971. Munro died a year later in London from the heart condition myocarditis. This was a contributory factor in Hendry's increasing dependence on alcohol. Hendry later married Sandra (Sandy) Jones on 27 May 1975, with whom he had another daughter, Emma.[8]

Hendry was declared bankrupt in the late 1970s.[9] He suffered from several health problems in his latter years, largely due to his long-term problems with alcohol which affected his professional and personal life.[10][11]

His last part in a film was a substantial, though uncredited, role as a corrupt policeman in McVicar. His last public appearance was as a guest on This Is Your Life which profiled former co-star Macnee, who had been a special guest when This Is Your Life featured Hendry in March 1978.[citation needed]

TV series (15 episodes - A Cold Wind from the North, The Present Mrs. Clive, And Hera Had a Sister, A Touch of Home, Aphrodite, A Tiger in Bristol Street, The Fascinating Couple, You Might Get Hurt Jocasta, The Climbing Wave, There and Back by Candlelight, A Kind of Treason, A Very Long Spoon, Beside a Crooked Stile, The Well Diggers, And If You Have the Time Lord)